Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has refuted the claims of the Nigerian Labour Congress(NLC) Oyo chapter on the number of staff whose appointment were terminated recently.
The Nation reports that the distribution company and the labour union in the state have been at loggerheads over the termination of the appointment of the staff.
While the NLC insisted that the over 3,000 staff disengaged by the distribution company be reabsorbed with an improved package, IBEDC said the affected workers were staff of an outsourcing firm, Premier International Procurements & Logistics Limited (PIPLL) only posted to work at IBEDC.
However, on Friday, the Distribution company issued a disclaimer to reiterate the number and status of staff disengaged while also condemning the repeated calls for picketing by the Labour Congress.
The move follows a recent call by the Labour for picketing from March 10.
According to the company, picketing causes significant disruptions and inconveniences to customers, negatively impacting ability to provide critical power and service.
The statement reads: “Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) once again wishes to address and correct the ongoing misinformation surrounding the alleged unlawful termination of 221 staff.
“We would like to categorically state that the claim by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) (Oyo Branch) of sacking over 3,000 employees is completely false and misleading
“For clarity, the individuals involved were outsourced personnel of Premier International Procurements & Logistics Limited (PIPLL), a third-party human resource outsourcing firm, who seconded the staff to IBEDC.
Read Also: NLC issues 24-hour ultimatum to IBEDC management to reinstate workers
“They were not employees of IBEDC, and as such, IBEDC is not responsible for their termination or any potential reinstatement.
“IBEDC strongly rejects any misleading narratives that unfairly attempt to associate IBEDC with this issue. These reports not only misrepresent the facts but also undermine public discourse, potentially misleading both the general public and key stakeholders.
“We urge the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the media, and the public to take note that the affected individuals were never employees of IBEDC
“The official employer, PIPLL bears full responsibility for its employees and take the necessary actions to provide clarity and resolution to its staff.
“Furthermore, IBEDC have expressly informed PIPLL that its continued business relationship with IBEDC is at serious risk due to its unprofessional handling of this matter.
“As a business, we also strongly condemn the repeated calls for picketing, which cause significant disruptions and inconveniences to our customers, negatively impacting our ability to provide critical power services jessential service) that are vital for driving economic growth.
“Finally, we aware that PIPLL has begun engaging all relevant parties namely, the disengaged PIPLL personnel, Ministry of Labour and the NLC
“IBEDC remains dedicated to upholding ethical labor practices, corporate responsibility, and excellence in service. Our primary focus continues to be the delivery of reliable electricity services to our valued custommers
“We sincerely appreciate the continued support and understanding of our stakeholders information and maintain the high-quality service that our customers expect work tirelessly to provide accurate.”